Vettel: Mercedes the target, not Ricciardo

17 July 2014 – Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel has said that while team-mate Daniel Ricciardo seems to have the upper hand at the moment, 'ultimately' that is not what matters as the priority is to win and beat Mercedes.

Vettel has been overshadowed this season by the Australian. Indeed while Vettel has taken two podiums and 70 points and is currently sixth in the Drivers' Championship, Ricciardo is third, with 98 points on the board and four rostrums in his pocket, including that win in Canada, when he made the most of the problems that slowed the dominant Mercedes'. Ricciardo also finished third in Australia, the season opener, but lost that result through no fault of his own.

"It's natural to get your a*** kicked from time to time," Vettel told British newspaper, The Daily Telegraph ahead of this weekend's German Grand Prix, his home race. "I try to limit them, but at the moment he [Ricciardo] seems to have the upper hand. He's feeling well inside the car, and he's quick.

"Obviously I didn't have the smoothest season so far, with a lot of things breaking down, and a lot of things stopping me getting in the rhythm, and there's one or two things I don't like, but we will try to improve.

"I am honestly very happy for him."

"Ultimately the target is not Daniel, it is Mercedes [though]," Vettel added.

"Yes, it's nice to beat your team-mate, but being 13th and 14th doesn't give much pleasure.

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